Power-transmitting mechanism for side-coiling door

ABSTRACT

A side-coiling door powered through opening and closing movements by a reversible motor which operates through an improved power-transmission mechanism. The outer turns or helical wraps of the door are of a greater circumferential length, due to their larger diameter, than the inner wraps of the door. Accordingly, each revolution of the means causing either said door opening or closing movement cannot be correlated to a standard length of door being at that time either wound or unwound upon said means. The improved power-transmission mechanism hereof allows for this disparity, even though it has but a single power shaft for both a door-opening and a doorclosing sprocket mounted on said power shaft. This is achieved by having only one said sprocket, during any interval of operation of the mechanism, drivingly connected to the power shaft while the other sprocket is freewheeling thereon. The freewheeling condition, of course, does not interfere with the driving requirements of the power shaft.

United States Patent 1 Aug. 1, 1972 Lester, Jr.

[54] POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM FOR SIDE-COILING DOOR [72] Inventor:Russell H. Lester, Jr., Commack,

NY. [73] Assignee: North American Door, Lindenhurst,

[22] Filed: April 14, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 133,957

[52] U.S. Cl. ..160/25, 160/133, 160/310 [51] Int. Cl. ..E06b 9/204 [58]Field of Search ..160/23-28, 133, 160/310, 193; 74/848 [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,139 4/1960 Wardlaw etal ..160/262,958,083 11/1960 Shook et al. ..160/26 3,019,450 2/1962 Karasiewicz..,...160/l33 X 3,451,463 6/1969 Lyman ..160/133 X 3,465,805 9/1969Lyman ..160/133 X Primary Examiner.l. Karl Bell Attorney-Bauer & Amer 7]ABSTRACT A side-coiling door powered through opening and closingmovements by a reversible motor which operates through an improvedpower-transmission mechanism. The outer turns or helical wraps of thedoor are of a greater circumferential length, due to their largerdiameter, than the inner wraps of the door. Accordingly, each revolutionof the means causing either said door opening or closing movement cannotbe correlated to a standard length of door being at that time eitherwound or unwound upon said means. The improved power-transmissionmechanism hereof allows for this disparity, even though it has but asingle power shaft for both a door-opening and a door-closing sprocketmounted on said power shaft. This is achieved by having only one saidsprocket, during any interval of operation of the mechanism, drivinglyconnected to the power shaft while the other sprocket is freewheelingthereon. The freewheeling condition, of course, does not interfere withthe driving requirements of the power shaft.

3 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMIG I 1912 SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTORRUSSELL H. LESTER, JR. M

FIG. 5

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' INVENTOR RUSSELL H. LESTER, JR.

ATTORNEYS POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM FOR SIDE- COILIN G DOOR Thepresent invention relates to side-coiling doors, and more particularlyto improved means for powering such doors through opening and closingmovements.

It is desirable that a comparatively heavy side-coiling door be fullymotor operated, that is urged by a reversible motor through both itsopening and closing movements. In accordance with present practice, aseparate door-opening means and door-closing means is provided, and themotor is arranged to selectively power one of these means while theother is disengaged therefrom. Moreover, this tandem or alternateengagement and disengagement of the motor with these separatedoor-opening and door-closing means is achieved through the operation ofa sliding clutch which, according to its position of sliding movement,establishes the desired drive connection to one means and disengages aprior established drive connection to the other means. Althoughgenerally satisfactory, the aforesaid power-transmission mechanism,utilizing a sliding clutch, has several inherent shortcomings. Among thesignificance of these shortcomings is the requirement of slidingmovement to establish the operative positions of the clutch, and alsothe requirement that there be an interrneshing of plural teethpreparatory to having a drive connection.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved powertransmitting mechanism for operating a side-coiling door overcoming theforegoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it isan object to provide a mechanism for transmitting the rotary power ofthe door motor which obviates a sliding clutch and, instead, usescooperating pawl and rachet arrangements to make or disengage from therequired drive connections. This minimizes the amount of intermeshing ofteeth required, as well as eliminates extensive movement of parts toachieve the required drive connections.

In a power-transmitting mechanism which demonstrates objects andadvantages of the present invention, there is included an operativearrangement of two rachets, each of which is operatively arranged toplace in driving operation a cooperating door-opening and door-closingmeans. Otherwise, however, both these means are normally freewheeling onthe power shaft of the mechanism. Thus, since the normal condition ofboth means for opening and closing the door is freewheeling, by merelyselectively placing one or the other in driving relation with the powershaft, the simultaneous tandem driving and freewheeling conditions ofthe two means is automatically provided. Moreover, to achieve thisselection of one of these two means, a cooperating one of two pawls isrotated by the power shaft into engagement with its associated rachet.The direction of power shaft rotation, therefore, determines whichrachet is selected for driving operation, and such power shaft rotationis, in turn, correlated to what is required to open or close the door.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a presentlypreferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a typical side-coiling door having animproved power-transmitting mechanism according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view of the powertransmittingmechanism illustrating details of its construction.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view projected from FIG. 2 showing furtherdetails of construction of the powertransmitting mechanism hereof;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, showingfurther details of construction; and

FIG. 5 is a partial view, in side elevation, of an exemplarydrag-applying means for the power-transmission mechanism hereof.

Reference is now made to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1wherein a typical side-coiling door, generally designated 10, is shownoperatively associated with door opening and closing means generallydesignated 12. Included as a part of the opening and closing means 12 isa power-transmitting mechanism, generally designated 14, having thenoteworthy structural features and mode of operation according to thepresent invention. Mechanism 14 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.

Still referring to FIG. 1, however, it is helpful in understanding theconstruction and mode of operation of the mechanism 14, to firstunderstand the operating requirements of the door opening and closingmeans 12. Specifically, door 10, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, isunwound from its coiled condition on a support shaft 16 through closingmovement 18 under the urgency of cables 20 and 22 which are respectivelyentrained over pulleys, individually and collectively designated 24. Thepulling cables 20, 22 are wound on a storage drum 26 which is powered inrotation by a motor 28 which is operatively connected to the drum 26 viaa first pulley, chain or other power-transmission arrangement 30 and asecond arrangement 32. More particularly, closing movement 18 resultswhen pulleys or the like of the arrangements 30, 32 are driven in thedirection 34 which, in turn, causes corresponding rotation 34 in thecable wind-up drum 26.

Motor 28 also is effective in causing wind-up rotation in the shaft 16and thus opening movement 36 of the door 10. Specifically, this is alsoachieved via the first pulley means 30, but is actually transmitted tothe drum shaft 16 via still another pulley means 38. That is, motor 28,which will be understood to be reversible in its direction of rotation,when operated in reverse direction of rotation 40, is effective intransmitting this direction of rotation via the pulley means 38 to theshaft 16 and thus causes wind-up of the door 10 about the shaft 16.

The foregoing opening and closing mode of opera- I tion of the means 12is facilitated by the power-transmitting mechanism 14 hereof.Specifically, the power input pulley or chain sprocket 42 of the powertransmission means 30 and the power distribution pulleys or sprockets,in this case preferably sprockets 44 and 46 respectively of the powertransmission means 32 and 38, are all operatively disposed on a singlepower shaft 48. As will be described in greater detail subsequently,during driving rotation 34 of sprocket 44 which, as already indicated,results in opening movement 18 of door 10, the other sprocket 46 isfreewheeling on the power shaft 48. On the other hand, when sprocket 46is powered in rotation in the direction 40 and thus results in openingmovement 36 of the door 10, sprocket 44 is freewheeling on the powershaft 48. This tandem driving and freewheeling operation of thesprockets 44 and 46 is achieved by the power-transmitting mechanism 14,all as will be described subsequently.

At this point, however, it is helpful to note that proper operation ofthe door requires that when one sprocket is driving, the other sprocketbe freewheeling. In this regard, it should be readily appreciated that,when the door 10 is in its fully wound condition on the shaft 16, theunwinding thereof in the direction 18 is occasioned by greater lengthsof the door 10 being unwound from the shaft 16 during initial, asdistinguished from terminal, closing movement 18. This is because theouter helical turns of the door 10 are of a greater circumferentiallength, due to their larger diameter,

than the inner wraps of the door. Thus, each turn of the shaft 16 is notcorrolated to any uniform length of door 10. Thus, when the door 10 isbeing urged through closing movement 18 as a result of rotation of thecable drum 26in the direction 34, each turn of said drum 26 may requireinitially only a portion of a full turn of shaft l6 and, at the end ofthe closing movement 18, may require a rotatable traverse which exceedsone turn. It is for this reason that it is necessary that when sprocket44 and its cooperating sprocket 45 are driving the drum 26, the othersprocket 46 (and its cooperating sprocket 47) be freewheeling in orderto allow for the different rotational traverses of the drum 26 and shaft16. By the same token, during wind-up or opening movement 36 of the door10, there is the same disparity between the rotational traverses of theshafi l6 and of the drum 26, the'cables 20 and 22 being unwound from thedrum 26 at this time. This discrepency is fully provided for since, whensprocket 46 is in driving rotation 40, the sprocket 44 is infreewheeling operation about the power shaft 48.

, Reference is now made to FlGS.-2-5 for details of the construction andmode of operation of the powertransmitting mechanism 14 which providesthe just described operation of the opening and closing means 12.Mechanism 14 includes the previously noted single power shaft 48appropriately vertically supported and journalled for rotation in asupport structure 50. Disposed in freewheeling rotation on the powershaft 48 are the previously noted sprockets 44 and 46. Although notshown, it will be understood that an endless chain is appropriatelyentrained about each of these sprockets and about the sprockets whichcooperate therewith, to thereby respectively define the previously notedpower transmission means 32 and 38. The freewheeling operation of thesprockets 44 and 46 may be achieved in any appropriate way, as forexample by the use of a sleeve bearing 52 shown interposed between thesprocket 44 and the power shaft 48.

Formed integral with each of the sprockets 44, 46

and, more particularly on the sides thereof in facing relation to eachother, are a pair of driving rachets 52" and 54. interposed between the.rachets and actually connected to the power shaft 48, as by a drive pin56, is a U-shaped actuating member, generally 52 and 54, and 58. Due toits U-shape, member 58 has bifulcated actuating arms 60 and 62.

As may best be understood from FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIG. 2,interposed between the arms 60 and 62 is a pivotally mountedrachet-driving means, consisting of a pivotally mounted member 64connected via an activating pin or shaft 66 toopposite pawl-like members68 and 70. Thus, in response to rotation of shaft 66, pawl 68 ispivotally movable between a clearance position, as illustrated in FIG.2, with respect to rachet 52 and an intermeshing driving relationtherewith. Similarly, pawl 70 alternates between the intermeshingdriving relation with rachet 54 as illustrated in FIG. 2, and aclearance position disengaged therefrom. It should be readilyappreciated that through proper angular orientation of the pawl 68 and70 on the shaft 66, it can be arranged that when pawl 70 is engagingrachet 54, pawl 68 is disengaged from rachet 62, and vice versa. Toshift the pawls 68 and 70 between the operative engaged and disengagedpositions thereof, it is necessary merely 'to pivot the member 64 in anappropriate direction about theaxis of the shaft 66. This, in turn, isachieved by selective abutment of either the arm 60 or 62 with themember 64, depending upon the direction of rotation of the power shaft48, all as will now be described in the summary of the operation of themechanism 14 which follows.

However, before summarizing such operation, it should be noted thatcompleting the construction of the mechanism 14 are support plates 74and 76 which loosely accommodate the power shaft 48 therethrough and arelocated on opposite sides of the actuating member 58. Specifically,shaft 66 is projected through ends of the plates 74, 76 so as to permitthe advantageous location of the pawls 68 and 70 in relation 7 A typicalinterval of operation of the mechanism 14 can perhaps best be understoodin reference to FIG. 4. Assume that power shaft 48 is powered inrotation in the direction 34 which, as previously noted, contemplatesdriving rotation of sprocket 44 while the-other sprocket 46 isfreewheeling, the door 10 at this time being urged through closingmovement 18. Rotation 34 of the power shaft 48 is transmitted via thedrive pin 56 to the actuating member 58 and, more particularly, resultsin arm 62 thereof being moved in the direction 34 into physical abutmentagainst member 64. This results in corresponding movement 34 in themember 64 and thus rotation of shaft 66 in' the direction 34, or V in aclockwise direction as seen in the plan view of FIG. 4. Responsive tothis rotational traverse of the shaft 66, pawl 68 is rotated intodriving relation with the rachet 52 while the other pawl 70 is rotatedinto a clearance position with respect to its cooperating rachet 54.Consequently, continued rotation of the power shaft 48 in the direction34, after the establishment of the driving connection between the pawl68 and rachet 52, results in sprocket 44 being powered in rotation inthe direction 34. Thus, drum 26 is powered in the direction 34 andresults in the exertion of a pulling force by the cables 20 and 22 whichunwinds door 10 from the shaft 16 and urges it through closing movement18. Any disparity in the rotational traverses of the shaft 16 withrespect to the drum 26 does not adversely effect the operation of theopening and closing means 12 since, as already indicated, sprocket 46 isfreewheeling with respect to the power shaft 48.

Naturally, when the power shaft 48 is rotated in the reverse direction40, arm 60 is pivoted into contact with the member 64 and, in turn,causes a pivotal traverse therein which is transmitted via the shaft 66to the pawls 68 and 70. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, thisdirection of rotation of shaft 66 has caused pawl 68 to move into itsclearance position, as depicted in FIG. 2, with respect to the rachet52, while the pawl 70 is caused to engage the rachet 54. As aconsequence, continued rotation of the power shaft 48 in the direction40, after the establishment of driving engagement of pawl 70 and rachet54 results in rotation of the sprocket 46 in the direction 40. This, inturn, causes wind-up operation of the door shaft 16 and thus openingmovement 36 of the door 10.

Illustrated in FIG. 5 is an acceptible manner of applying drag to eachof the sprockets 46 and 44, with sprocket 44 being used as theillustration in FIG. 5. That is, it has been found in practice that itis desirable that the sprockets not be totally and completelyfreewheeling about the power shaft 48, but that some drag or resistanceto rotation be applied against these sprockets. Accordingly, a memberhaving an appropriate friction surface 68 is pressed against sprocket 44under an adjustable pressure, applied for example by a threadable member70. Member 70 may be appropriately supported in a support arm 72.Naturally, other appropriate structures for applying drag to thesprockets may be utilized.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a side-coiling door of an improvedpower-transmitting mechanism for urging said door through opening andclosing movements, said mechanism comprising a power shaft adapted to beselectively powered in opposite directions of rotation respectivelycorresponding to said door opening and closing movements, a pair ofspaced apart door-opening and door-closing sprockets disposed infreewheeling relation on said power shaft and each operatively connectedto said door to respectively produce said opening and closing movementsthereof, a driving rachet on each said door-opening and door-closingsprockets disposed in facing relation to each other, an actuating memberfixedly connected to said power shaft in an interposed position betweensaid facing driving rachets, and a pivotally mounted rachet-drivingmember having first and second operative ends operatively arranged to bepivoted by said actuating member in one direction so that said first endthereof is moved into driving relation with one said driving rachet andsaid second end is moved into a clearance position with respect to saidother driving rachet, and when pivoted in a reverse direction said firstend is disengaged from driving relation and said second end is movedfrom said clearance positi gn into drivin relation whereby during aninterval 0 operation 0 y one sar door-opening or door-closing sprocketis powered in rotation with said power shaft while the other isfreewheeling thereon.

2. An improved power-transmitting mechanism as claimed in claim 1wherein said actuating member is U- shaped and has bifulcated armsadvantageously located on opposite sides of said rachet-driving member,one of said arms selectively engaging said rachet-driving memberdepending upon the direction of rotation of said power shaft.

3. An improved power-transmitting mechanism as claimed in claim 2wherein said first and second operative ends of said rachet-drivingmember are formed as teeth-engaging pawls.

1. The combination with a side-coiling door of an improvedpower-transmitting mechanism for urging said door through opening andclosing movements, said mechanism comprising a power shaft adapted to beselectively powered in opposite directions of rotation respectivelycorresponding to said door opening and closing movements, a pair ofspaced apart door-opening and doorclosing sprockets disposed infreewheeling relation on said power shaft and each operatively connectedto said door to respectively produce said opening and closing movementsthereof, a driving rachet on each said door-opening and door-closingsprockets disposed in facing relation to each other, an actuating memberfixedly connected to said power shaft in an interposed position betweensaid facing driving rachets, and a pivotally mounted rachet-drivingmember having first and second operative ends operatively arranged to bepivoted by said actuating member in one direction so that said first endthereof is moved into driving relation with one said driving rachet andsaid second end is moved into a clearance position with respect to saidother driving rachet, and when pivoted in a reverse direction said firstend is disengaged from driving relation and said second end is movedfrom said clearance position into driving relation, whereby during aninterval of operation only one said dooropening or door-closing sprocketis powered in rotation with said power shaft while the other isfreewheeling thereon.
 2. An improved power-transmitting mechanism asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said actuating member is U-shaped and hasbifulcated arms advantageously located on opposite sides of saidrachet-driving member, one of said arms selectively engaging saidrachet-driving member depending upon the direction of rotation of saidpower shaft.
 3. An improved power-transmitting mechanism as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said first and second operative ends of saidrachet-driving member are formed as teeth-engaging pawls.